From September 19 – 22, 2018 the best-selling author from China, Zhou Bingde, visited the United Nations to mark the 120th birthday of her uncle, the first premier of modern China, Zhou Enlai.
She journeyed halfway around the world, from Beijing to New York, to participate in United Nations Peace Day, to recognize the 70th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and to visit the site of the World Trade Center Memorial in lower Manhattan.
These photos chronicle some of the highlights of that historic visit, during which the first English publication of her autobiography, “My Uncle Zhou Enlai,” was announced.
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Among the first stops for Zhou Bingde, and the delegation of students and artists she led, was the Permanent Mission of China to the United Nations. Ambassador Ma Zhaoxu, who leads the Mission and represents the people of China at the UN, hosted her on an official visit, where they discussed her new book and welcomed the delegates.
More information is available here.
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A special tour of the United Nations Headquarters building was arranged by the UN Visitor Center, so that Zhou Bingde and her delegation could personally study the depth and significance of the role of the United Nations as a vehicle for peace. Zhou Enlai had always hoped to visit the United Nations, but the diplomatic realities of the time made this difficult. So now, after many decades, his niece Zhou Bingde was able to complete his story.
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Jiang Hua is the Press and Media Secretary of the United Nations Department of Public Information; she has also served as the Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, and is deeply involved in the work of UN Peacekeepers worldwide. Mme. Jiang personally welcomed Zhou Bingde to the United Nations, and gave a seminar on the historic role of China at the United Nations since its founding in 1947. Together with a delegation of leaders from across China and America, they held a fascinating discussion of the leading role that China is assuming at the UN, in a fast-changing world.
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At the United Nations Chapel across the street from the General Assembly Building, the organizers of United Nations Peace Day celebrated a full day of Prayer for Peace on September 21, which is celebrated worldwide as Peace Day. The final segment was directed by Zhou Bingde, who delivered an important address about China’s peacemaker, Zhou Enlai. She also created a traditional Chinese calligraphy painting of the character representing Peace (“Heping”) and presented it to Reverend Dionne Boissiere, chaplain of the UN Chapel. She accepted this work of art for permanent display in the Chapel.
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More information is available here.
A formal banquet was held in honor of Zhou Bingde at the United Nations Hilton Hotel, to celebrate Zhou Enlai’s 120th birthday, explore some interior aspects of the new book about him, and to host a book signing. Representatives of the Chinese Mission to the UN, the Chinese Consulate in New York, key leaders of the Chinese community in New York, representatives of key UN agencies, and groups of American and European visitors from as far away as Hawaii, Chicago and Paris, attended the banquet.
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A number of special events were held around New York during the four-day event. The whole delegation, with a group of American friends, visited the Metropolitan Museum of Art, touring the modern American art galleries. Afterward they walked into Central Park for a traditional American-style picnic on the lawn, and shared some songs and poetry. The group also enjoyed a late-evening dinner at one of Manhattan’s classic old bistros, The Palm on Second Ave.
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The delegation, led by Mme Zhou with a group of students and artists from across China, went to the lower part of Manhattan, to the site of the World Trade Center and the tragedy that took place there on September 11, 2001. Together, they offered gifts of heartfelt words, roses and flags from China and America, in sympathy for all the victims, and in unity to declare our joint will to peace and reconciliation in the world.
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More information is available here.
